


All The Way Home

by SEpupppupp (ForNought)



Series: This Little Piggy [5]
Category: Produce 101 (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Meet the Family, Pigs, Travel, hyunmin and haknyeon are The Worst couple, i somehow managed to mention poo again for no reason, nameless family - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-16
Updated: 2017-10-16
Packaged: 2019-01-17 23:54:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12376758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForNought/pseuds/SEpupppupp
Summary: Hyunmin goes to meet Haknyeon's mum





	All The Way Home

**Author's Note:**

> This is me procrastinating because I am terrible and don't want to do what I am supposed to. (it has been almost a month and the cress fic is actually decreasing in progress lmao)
> 
> I could have read this over more properly and standardised everything and given it a proper edit but this isn't the sort of fic I wanted to think too much about L.O.L..

Hyunmin hadn't tried very hard on his exams, so he didn't feel particularly deserving of a celebratory trip, but he was happy to get away from everything for a while. He had wracked his brain at his desk and scribbled down his every half-coherent thought during the hours and hours of testing but he knew that if he had had put more effort into revision in the run up to the exams he would have had a much better chance. Instead he had spent many an ill-advised hour concocting fun and adorable excuses to get Haknyeon to pay more attention to him.

Hyunmin’s slacking had somehow paid off and Haknyeon, mood much improved, had proposed something which Hyunmin would never have expected.

“Over the winter break I am going home and I would like you to come with me.”

“Home?” Hyunmin asked dumbly. Almost everything Hyunmin said was dumb so Haknyeon had no reason to look so confused about it.

“Are you listening, Hyunmin?” Haknyeon had huffed impatiently, his cheeks flushing a lovely colour which was sure to make Hyunmin stop listening in favour of committing the shade to memory.

“Of course I am listening,” Hyunmin lied. Haknyeon knew Hyunmin well enough to regard him with suspicion before pinching his arm harder than necessary. Hyunmin whined but Haknyeon scowled and didn’t even look a little bit sorry.

“Please listen to me properly,” Haknyeon grumbled. “When I visited my mum over Chuseok I spoke to her about it and she really wants to meet you. Because our exams are over it would be nice for you to come home with me to meet her. I want you to come to Jeju with me.”

Hyunmin tilted his head and frowned. Haknyeon had met Hyunmin’s mum a few times and he had been an excellent guest every time even when Hyunmin’s mum wouldn’t stop talking about how handsome Haknyeon was. It was a semi-regular occurrence, Hyunmin proudly showing off his boyfriend who loved him lots and lots, _thank you very much._ Hyunmin loved having Haknyeon over at his house but he had never imagined that the same invitation would be extended to him.

Hyunmin had been to the flat that Haknyeon lived in now, and he was very familiar with Haknyeon's elder sister who was improving as a cook but only stuck to the basics (a fact that, once revealed to Hyunmin’s mum, resulted in Hyunmin making regular visits to get rid of the excess of side dishes his mother had inexplicably made). It was nice to meet Haknyeon's family as it was in Seoul. It was an altogether different matter to be invited to meet Haknyeon's mum who lived so far away!

“You want me to come to Jeju?” Hyunmin asked. Haknyeon huffed.

“You're really not listening to me, are you? I spoke with my mum and she said she would like to meet you.”

“Wow,” Hyunmin said.

“I want you to meet her too,” Haknyeon added quietly.

Hyunmin hadn't heard anything so wonderful in his life! That wasn't strictly true because the many times Haknyeon told Hyunmin that he liked him, or complimented him on something strange like the alignment of his shirt cuffs, Hyunmin’s list of magical and wonderful things that he had heard grew longer. But Hyunmin could be happy about this! Haknyeon wanted to introduce Hyunmin to his mum! In Jeju! And have a romantic and beautiful trip together!

Hyunmin’s mum was of course very happy about the news too and bought Hyunmin a brand new suitcase for the trip. It was matte red and looked really cool and Hyunmin could tell how excited his mum was about the trip because she bought him some Minion and Spongebob Squarepants stickers. Hyunmin happily stuck the stickers haphazardly to the suitcase and even snuck a few onto Haknyeon's boring black suitcase when they were at the airport.

They had never done something like this before so Hyunmin’s whole body itched with nerves. He couldn't keep still and fidgeted continuously as they waited for their flight. They didn't have to wait particularly long and the flight itself was barely an hour long but Hyunmin kept fiddling with whatever he could find to keep himself occupied. Haknyeon was much worse. He smiled when Hyunmin began prodding at his palms, just for something to do with his excess of energy, but seconds later he announced that he needed to go on a walk. Haknyeon kept standing up and walking in a loop that wasn't quite two dozen steps before sitting down beside Hyunmin, struggling to find a comfortable position, and walking around once more.

Hyunmin was glad that they were both nervous. He wouldn't have liked it much to be the only one this excited. It was much the same on the plane when Hyunmin’s ears popped because of the pressure and Haknyeon only stopped moving around in his seat to hold Hyunmin’s hand tightly until the pain went away.

When they got off the plane Hyunmin felt a bit disappointed. “It is still cold,” He said, tugging at his coat to fluff up some more insulation.

“Of course it is cold!” Haknyeon snickered. “We aren’t that far away.”

Hyunmin complained some more about being cold and Haknyeon grabbed his hand and didn’t let go until his mum arrived to pick them up and he had to help put the suitcases in the back of the car.

Hyunmin was surprised. He wasn’t sure why, but he was surprised. Haknyeon was the most beautiful person Hyunmin had ever seen in his entire life, and Haknyeon’s older sister was also blessed with near-perfect genetics, but Hyunmin hadn’t expected Haknyeon’s mum to be so glamorous. She was a farmer so she should have looked a lot more frumpy, maybe arrived wearing clothes with small patches of dried mud, and her hair hastily tied up into a bun. But she looked like a normal mum, just prettier than Hyunmin expected.

Hyunmin stumbled over his words a few times when he introduced himself and he really had no clue what was wrong with him. Nerves had never shaken him this badly before, though Hyunmin supposed when he was competing he shook off nerves entirely and was able to focus, and when he first started talking to Haknyeon he had been too dazzled to be nervous at all.

Hyunmin was sure he was making a bad impression until the point that Haknyeon’s younger sister - a wiry little thing with a pointy chin and round eyes - appeared in the passenger-side window and pointed at Hyunmin. “Do you fight with my oppa?”

Being suddenly addressed in this way, Hyunmin didn’t know what to do. There was no one else who the tiny girl was talking to and Hyunmin wondered what sort of stories Haknyeon had been telling if he could smile so easily while he loaded their cases into the boot of the car.

“I don’t fight with Haknyeon, I never would!” Hyunmin said. He hoped he sounded very sincere because he didn’t want this suspicious little girl to think he was a liar. She squinted at him all the same.

“Aren’t you the Taekwondo Man?”

“That’s right,” Haknyeon called over happily, “That person is the Taekwondo Man.”

“Show me something!!!”

Haknyeon was smiling along happily as he loaded their suitcases into the car and chatted with his mum about his older sister joining them in a few days.

“I’m not warmed up,” Hyunmin tried. This was not the correct answer.

“My oppa says that you are the coolest in the world. If that was true you would show me something right now.”

“I’m not the coolest in the world,” Hyunmin said awkwardly. He scratched the back of his head and hoped the frown he was sending Haknyeon’s way hit the mark. Haknyeon was happily being adorable with his mum while Hyunmin was wondering whether he would escape this conversation alive.

“So you’re calling him a liar? Oppa, Taekwondo Man says you’re a liar!”

Haknyeon looked over curiously. “I’m a liar?”

“You told me that Taekwondo Man is the coolest but he says that he isn’t. That means you’re a liar.”

“I never lie,” Haknyeon said solemnly. “Taekwondo Man is the coolest.”

Haknyeon was absolutely not helping and his expression suggested that he did not care. Hyunmin sighed because he expected the more forceful request to do something cool. His protests just seemed mean now that Haknyeon’s little sister was hanging out of the car window and demanding he do something.

Against his better judgement (or against his will really because even his poor judgement indicated this was a terrible idea and he was only going along because Haknyeon’s little sister was holding her breath and letting her pass out would certainly make a bad impression) Hyunmin demonstrated a series of sharp kicks and punches. And Haknyeon’s sister huffed with disappointment.

“Oppa, you told me he was cool!”

Haknyeon finally seemed to realise that he was being unhelpful so he patted his sister’s head and said, “You should be more patient. Taekwondo Man is tired so you have to let him recharge his energy. If you are really, really patient, he will show you the coolest thing in the world.”

Haknyeon’s little sister wasn’t too happy with that as she slithered back through the window and slumped in her seat. Haknyeon’s mum only laughed and told them to hurry and get in the car.

“I’m not doing very well,” Hyunmin muttered to Haknyeon before he opened the car door.

Haknyeon patted his arm and smiled encouragingly. “What did you tell me when I first met your parents?”

Hyunmin wasn’t sure that he had ever said anything helpful in that instance. He had simply talked over Haknyeon’s worries with empty words that only made himself feel even happier about the situation. Hyunmin wasn’t too proud to admit that. “I told you that I love you?”

“That’s right! I love you too, Hyunmin.”

Haknyeon promptly opened the car door and shoved him onto the backseat.

The journey wasn’t too long according to the clock but Hyunmin was certain it lasted longer than his entire life to date. The car engine was noisy and Haknyeon’s mum insisted on talking to him right when he was least likely to parse her accent for something he could make sense of. He was glad to have Haknyeon holding his hadn’t tightly and repeating things for him (and even feeding him answers when his mind went totally blank) but he was have preferred not feeling so close to the end of his life.

 

*

 

When they arrived at the house, rural flora tumbling all around and air that tasted salty away from the bustling of the airport, Hyunmin was glad to be able to stretch. He felt stiff from all the travelling they had done and it was good to be able to move around freely and do things like hug Haknyeon tightly. His mind was able to relax as thoroughly as his muscles when he held onto Haknyeon.

Haknyeon laughed loudly and he didn't seem to mind at all.

Hyunmin was about to pull away to help unload the suitcases because Haknyeon's mum had opened the boot while they were laughing together for no reason, but Haknyeon gripped Hyunmin’s arms to keep them where they were.

“Shouldn't we help?”

“We don't have a guest room,” Haknyeon whispered loudly. “I am going to sleep in my sister's room and you can sleep in mine.”

“What about when your sister gets here too? Where will you sleep then?”

Haknyeon flushed pink. “I'm not sure. I want to sleep with you - I mean in the same place as you - but I don't want my mum to think we are… doing things.”

Hyunmin had liked the few sleepovers they had. He had been excited the first time to find out Haknyeon's sleeping habits (only Hyunmin had been _too_ excited to sleep the night before because he couldn't stop speculating and he fell asleep embarrassingly early. When he woke up it was to Haknyeon sleepily telling him how cute he was before suggesting they pretend to sleep some more so they could cuddle for a while longer) and every time afterwards Hyunmin loved the way Haknyeon was so cuddly while he was still conscious but constantly rolled himself away from Hyunmin when he was half-asleep. It was cute and funny and it was like a secret game to see how long it took for a sleeping Haknyeon to actually kick him away.

They had slept in the same bed at Hyunmin’s home and Haknyeon's home and Haknyeon had never worried before that someone might think they were doing anything risqué than chatting and blowing kisses at one another. Maybe Haknyeon fretted because his mum thought that jumping right into sex (no matter who was under the same roof) was typical of city boys. Hyunmin wanted to be certain about allaying both of their fears.

“Auntie, I promise not to touch Haknyeon,” Hyunmin said very nobly.

Haknyeon's mum glanced over from where she had lined up the luggage and said, “You're touching him right now.”

“Oh.” Hyunmin confirmed this by looking down at the arms he had around Haknyeon and giving them an experimental squeeze. “Well we do like to hug but that is all -” (when there are other people around, he added mentally. Haknyeon must have somehow known of the addendum because he snuffled into Hyunmin’s neck and his shoulders trembled as he silenced a giggle) “- We are very upstanding young men who like to wear lots of clothes at all times.”

Haknyeon's mum regarded them blankly, her eyes catching on her terribly obvious son, and said, “Please don't imply things in front of the little ones.”

“Sorry.”

Haknyeon's little sister shook her head and put her hands on her hips. “Not me. She's talking about the pigs.”

“The pigs,” Hyunmin repeated weakly. Haknyeon’s sister nodded very solemnly.

“They are very delicate.”

 

*

 

Hyunmin took his time over learning just how delicate the pigs really were because the first day involved a lot of answering questions and being fed more answers by Haknyeon to work out what he should say to make a good impression. It was not until the next day that Hyunmin’s stress-induced stomach ache eased because Haknyeon announced that they had been asked to help feed the pigs.

It was refreshing to be allowed out of the house to breathe and not have to worry about making Hakneon’s mum regret inviting him all this way.

“You look really cute,” Hyunmin said as he and Haknyeon changed into overalls and Wellington boots. Haknyeon looked up at Hyunmin, wide-eyed as though it was surprising to hear something like this.

“What? I’m just wearing this… sack-thing. The same as you,” Haknyeon said as he frowned down at himself.

“It was just a sack-thing before you put it on. Now you look like a sexy farmer. Maybe we will have to roll about in the hay together because I am getting all hot and bothered.”

The smirk fell right off Hyunmin’s face when Haknyeon slapped his hand across Hyunmin’s forehead and looked thoughtful. He delicately curled his other hand around Hyunmin’s jaw and pressed his index and middle fingers against the pulse-point at Hyunmin’s neck.

“Oh, you do feel feverish,” Haknyeon noted. “Maybe we should ask my mum to look after the pigs instead. You feel like you could use a visit from a sexy nurse instead.”

Hyunmin felt all stuttery again, except this time it was not because of Haknyeon’s mum (thank goodness). He stepped back away from the cheeky glint in those eyes he spent far too long soliloquising about. He decided that he was going to stop trying new things. He couldn’t quite reach suave and sophisticated so it was better to stick with making Haknyeon smile sweetly instead of retorting in ways that made Hyunmin blush so terrifically.

“I reckon those pigs are starving by now.”

Haknyeon giggled and led the way outside.

 

*

 

They were ankle-deep in pig excrement and Hyunmin’s lungs burned while his leaden limbs made him wobble too much to stand upright due to stomping through mud to chase after piglets all afternoon but he couldn't think of a time when he had been happier. He was sweating through his clothes and his overalls and his tongue felt rough inside his dry mouth and all Hyunmin wanted was to have a cold glass of water. But he didn't want to go back to the house yet.

Haknyeon's hair was plastered to his forehead and the ruddiness of his cheeks glistened with sweat. Haknyeon was the most beautiful person Hyunmin had ever seen and he still couldn't believe that he was the only person who got to be happy over Haknyeon holding his hand and texting him good morning and telling him that his eyelashes looked a few millimetres longer. Hyunmin hated that even now he was still so possessive over Haknyeon but he also hoped that Haknyeon reciprocated with his own greed.

It was greed that compelled Hyunmin to take a step closer, his rubber boots squelching through the muck, and reach out for Haknyeon's hand. Haknyeon scratched his forehead with the back of his hand and slipped his hands out of his thick rubber gloves. He took a few steps of his own and pulled Hyunmin’s gloves off too.

Hyunmin’s hands pulsated against the freshness of the air and they itched after sweating so much inside the gloves. He was used to having clammy hands but this was different because his hands had been bathed in their own sweat as he wrangled pigs and their babies as directed. But Haknyeon didn't look like he minded at all and closed his fingers around Hyunmin’s. He looked down at their hands and smiled proudly.

“You have worked hard today,” he said.

“Is this what you did all the time as a kid?”

Haknyeon looked thoughtful for a moment and then shook his head, chagrin creeping beneath the colour of exertion painted over his face. “It was boring back then so sometimes I would kick up a fuss until my dad or my sister did the chores for me. Noona used to hit me really hard if I did a bad job. Instead of working harder I would lie and say it had already been done. I used to get into a lot of trouble.”

Hyunmin’s feet hadn't moved much but suddenly they couldn't keep still and he squelched on the spot as he shifted his weight from side to side. His previous image of Haknyeon as a dutiful little farm boy gave way to the image of Haknyeon being called a tear away because all he wanted was to spend time with his classmates and other neighbourhood children. Hyunmin wanted to know what sort of child Haknyeon really was.

On the whole Hyunmin had been a well behaved child who tended to be a bit of a show off. He wished he could leave out all the parts about his fibbing problem and how he had been a chubby kid until he took up taekwondo but his mum had already revealed that much too gleefully whenever Haknyeon came over for tea. Hyunmin sometimes wondered how things would have been had they met much earlier in life. Would Hyunmin be as enraptured with Haknyeon if they had been classmates in primary school and argued over which of them got to be the red ranger (Hyunmin of course because he was already a green belt in taekwondo and he would hit Haknyeon if he had to… but only very gently) or who got to help the teacher hand out worksheets?

Thinking about things like that always led him to wonder what their children would be like if they ever had any. They were only in high school and they had only been going out with each other for a few months (they had only forged their awkward friendship of bad compliments when they became classmates in March) but Hyunmin couldn't help but think about the future. He wanted to be with Haknyeon forever and stuff him with enough happiness to last into his next life and even though it was still only early days he wanted Haknyeon to at least consider it.

If Haknyeon did want to stay with Hyunmin forever and ever, Hyunmin wanted to adopt at least two children. He didn't have any names planned because he thought it might be nice to add young children to their lives rather than setting his heart on babies. There was a girl at Hyunmin’s taekwondo club who hadn't been adopted until she was fourteen and Hyunmin had always thought it was sad that she had to wait that long for a family while babies and toddlers were getting homed before her. Hyunmin knew that making a family with Haknyeon was just a fantasy and it wouldn't happen nearly as easily as he wished it would but it was nice to think about.

They could all come to the farm on Jeju Island (Hyunmin and Haknyeon and their two adorable children wearing matching wellies and overalls) and feed the pigs and make sure they were all in their pens. It would be hard work but it would be so much fun and it would be great to help out Haknyeon's mum. On nice days they could go to the beach and frolic in the surf. When it was stormy out they could play boardgames and bake cakes to the background score of the elements battering the window panes.

Hyunmin wondered if maybe he had thought too deeply about this because they were still young and hadn't been together for very long and all they were doing was holding hands in a pig pen but Hyunmin was certain that this was the most he would ever love anyone in his whole life.

Even if he was too focused on silly daydreams, Hyunmin had to ask, “When you're older, where do you see yourself?”

“What do you mean?” Haknyeon frowned. He held on a bit tighter with his hands that were too hot and moist and Hyunmin just wanted to hear something that would make this feel important. Haknyeon said, “Hopefully I get into a good university in Seoul. It would be nice if it was the same one as you.”

“Yeah, but after that. Um, when you get a job and a family, what does that life look like?”

Haknyeon was already quite red and sweaty from all the running around they had been doing but Hyunmin had to wonder whether an organ failure was imminent seeing as all the blood in Haknyeon's body had sprung to the surface of his skin. He squeaked, “It… well… I think it will be a nice life? And it would be nice to live near to work and maybe not too far from Noona so she can visit a lot.”

Hyunmin nodded. “That does sound nice.” Haknyeon's shoulders relaxed a smidgen and Hyunmin only felt a little bit guilty about asking, “Do you think you will be with anyone?”

Haknyeon averted his eyes and became very interested in the clouds above them before he eventually muttered, “What is with all these questions?”

“Sorry,” Hyunmin said quickly, “I was curious.”

Haknyeon dropped his chin and looked injuredly down at Hyunmin. “What would you be curious about? Why would you ask if I'm with anyone?”

“It was a stupid question,” Hyunmin agreed. “It doesn't matter.”

“It does matter!” Haknyeon scowled, shaking Hyunmin’s hand in frustration. “Has someone said something to you? I told Noona to keep it a secret and the only other person who I told was Jihoon so I will be very cross if either of them blabbed.”

Being stupid wasn't a novel experience to Hyunmin. Quite regularly he was confused and muddled about things but that was generally because he was a bad listener. But Hyunmin was never a bad listener when it came to Haknyeon and Hyunmin was listening extra hard right now. He still struggled with the situation.

“What would someone have said to me?” Hyunmin asked. “What secret are you talking about?”

Haknyeon flustered and loosed his hands from Hyunmin’s and he scratched his head. “It won't be a secret if I tell you.”

“Does it have to be a secret? I don't really understand what just happened,” Hyunmin frowned. “I just asked you a question about the future and now you're being weird.”

“I'm not being weird!” Haknyeon denied quickly. “If anyone is being weird it is you because you are asking me silly questions! I don't know what sort of house we will live in or how long our commutes to work will be! We have to get through university first!”

Hyunmin could admit to himself that he was in fact being weird but it was brazen of Haknyeon to deny the same thing when he was definitely being weird. He was all weird and pink and his breathing sounded funny.

Hyunmin squelched closer to Haknyeon with his arms spread just like how he had been told to approach nervous pigs. He didn't think Haknyeon would charge at him but he hoped approaching slowly and cautiously would calm Haknyeon down a bit. Hyunmin didn't think it was working because Haknyeon's face got impossibly redder and he stomped in the muck as he pointed at Hyunmin.

“Why are you trying to ruin the surprise? I'm trying to do something nice and you're ruining it!”

Hyunmin’s arms fell limply to his sides. He must have been making a strange face because Haknyeon's eyebrows formed a peak on his forehead and he backtracked. “That's not what I meant.”

“What am I ruining, Haknyeon?”

“I really didn't mean it like that, Hyunminnie. I promise.”

“Then why would you say it?”

Hyunmin always tried his hardest to make Haknyeon happy, even though this was still so new that he wasn't always sure that he was doing well. He knew that Haknyeon was the same way, because everything Haknyeon did made Hyunmin happy - there was no other explanation! - but Haknyeon was looking very stressed about whatever it was that hyunmin was ruining. Hyunmin didn't want to make Haknyeon get stressed or say things which made Hyunmin’s belly feel solid and cold.

Haknyeon tripped in his haste to close the distance that Hyunmin hadn't.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes, I'm fine,” Haknyeon said quickly. As he ineffectively patted himself down. “But listen, Hyunminnie, I love you, okay?”

“I love you too,” Hyunmin said.

Haknyeon blinked. “You don't sound like you mean that.”

“I do mean it,” Hyunmin said as brightly as he could under the circumstances. “I love you Haknyeonnie more than anyone else in the world.”

“Good.” Haknyeon nodded determinedly and set his shoulders. His face had calmed down a bit so the residual flush was from chasing pigs, but he was still incredibly sweaty. He placed his hands firmly on Hyunmin’s arms and said, “I didn't mean to hurt you. It was just that there is something I have been thinking about for a while and I wanted to seem really cool by impressing you with it. I just worried that it wasn't the right time. You didn't ruin anything. I am just being mean and stupid. Okay?”

“You're not stupid, Haknyeon, you're really smart and you are never mean to me.” Haknyeon looked uncertain about the words but he managed a smile when Hyunmin held onto his waist.

“Why are you so nice to me?” Haknyeon asked through the pleasant tug at the corners of his lips. “You looked like you were going to cry but instead you're trying to make me feel better.”

“I just love you a lot. It isn’t anything worth getting upset about.”

Haknyeon shook his head. “You're wrong, Hyunmin. If I ever upset you then I should make it up to you. I shouldn't be forgiven so easily. I was mean to you just now. you should make me work harder for your forgiveness in future.”

Haknyeon was being serious and saying something important but Hyunmin couldn't help himself. “Joo Haknyeon, you're really cool.”

Haknyeon blanched and shook his head. “You're ridiculous, Hyunmin. I don't want to hear that I am cool, you're supposed to tell me that you will make me work harder to deserve your love.”

“Now who is being ridiculous? If you worked any harder I would have to split myself into ten people to give you even half the love you deserve!”

“Hyunminnie!” Haknyeon whined. “You're not being fair.”

“How am I not being fair? You do know that I love you, right?”

Haknyeon pouted. He was still the coolest person Hyunmin had ever met and he felt himself swooning as Haknyeon grumbled, “Of course I know. But I love you even more, okay?”

“My heart is twinging right now,” Hyunmin said as he clutched at the front of his overalls to demonstrate. “You don’t need to keep acting cool, I am already your boyfriend.”

Haknyeon rolled his eyes but he smiled and came in closer and curled his fingers around the back of Hyunmin’s neck. “Nobody is going to win this. I’m sorry, I really am sorry, Hyunminnie.”

“You still keep being cool,” Hyunmin pointed out quietly as he leaned up to peck Haknyeon’s lips lightly. “How are you making me fall more in love with you when we both stink?”

Haknyeon giggled and pressed their mouths together more firmly. Hyunmin was sure he was getting used to the smell of pigs but he wasn’t sure if he was starting to grow fond of the scent because Haknyeon was making him melt with just his lips. When Haknyeon pulled away, and Hyunmin was no longer certain of his structural density, he smiled softly and asked, “Have you spoken to Noona or Jihoon?”

Hyunmin shook his head, just about able to manage that much. “What would I have spoken to them about?”

Haknyeon looked hesitant and looked away again before saying, “After we’ve showered and don’t smell so bad I will tell you.”

Hyunmin wanted to know right away. It was partly because it was something that had riled him up enough to get annoyed and snap at Hyunmin. But Hyunmin couldn’t demand to know what the secret was now because he could barely formulate the question in his head. He had to follow along obediently while thinking about how to get Haknyeon to kiss him like that again.

When they got back to the house Hyunmin had to pretend he could hold a conversation as Haknyeon’s mum thanked him for his help and Haknyeon’s little sister pestered him to teach her how to do a flying kick. Hyunmin didn’t have to teach Haknyeon’s sister how to do a flying kick because he was quickly ushered to the bathroom.

He undressed slowly, uncertain of how everything was supposed to go. He had kissed Haknyeon plenty of times before but none of those times had been detrimental to Hyunmin’s brain capacity. It was strange and Hyunmin wanted to return to normal quickly. He worried that Haknyeon might not kiss him again if he discovered this dizzying new side effect.

Hyunmin washed clumsily and lathered his sweat-stiffened hair back to softness so that when it was dry again Haknyeon could play with it. If he wanted to. Hyunmin wasn't planning on forcing the issue when there were other things to think about.

Hyunmin wanted to know what the surprise was.

Before Hyunmin could grill Haknyeon (kindly, of course) they had to eat dinner. Each mealtime, Hyunmin noted that there was something different between the food here and the food at home. He didn't want to wrack his brains further because he didn't want to discover that he liked this food more than the food own his mum made. His mum always put extra love and care into the food she made for Hyunmin so it wasn't fair for him to be hypnotised into thinking maybe this food was better by Haknyeon's kisses, and the saltiness of the air when he opened the bedroom window.

Hyunmin gobbled his food down and almost choked a few times. The taste was nice - and that was all! - so if even he was allowing himself to admit that much he wasn't sure why Haknyeon was slowly picking his way through his plate and not eating much of anything. Hyunmin wondered if Haknyeon felt burdened by carrying the conversation at the dinner table so he tried to take over smoothly and relayed through day's ordeal with some exaggeration of the pigs’ antics for good measure. Maybe Hyunmin was too exhausted to feel properly nervous but he wasn’t struggling so much with talking.

Haknyeon still didn't eat very much and eventually excused himself from the table and took Hyunmin with him.

They sat cross-legged on the floor of Haknyeon’s bedroom and Haknyeon looked serious but Hyunmin was too impatient to wait for him to order his thoughts properly.

“What is the surprise? What did I ruin?”

Haknyeon’s face fell. “I said I didn’t mean it. You didn’t ruin things.”

“I know that you didn’t mean it. I just want to know what you were talking about. What have you been hiding from me?”

Haknyeon bit his lip and picked at his fingernails until Hyunmin nudged him roughly. He was getting nervous too. Haknyeon raised his head slowly but he still didn’t meet Hyunmin’s eyes.

“Hyunmin, you know I love you, right?” Haknyeon asked.

It was an odd question, especially when the answers to this question and the inverse were the most obvious things in the world. Hyunmin’s chest felt tight because this was clearly a serious conversation and he wasn’t sure that he was prepared for one of those right now. But he had pestered Haknyeon enough that it would be rude of him to take it back and make Haknyeon stop talking.

“I love you too, Haknyeon.”

A teeny tiny smile tugged at the corners of Haknyeon’s lips and it was a start. “If you think about it, we haven’t been together for very long. We only recently became friends too. But already I love you so much. I won’t feel this way about anyone else.” He paused, attempted to meet Hyunmin’s eyes but his nerve broke and he looked away again. “I’m not the only one, am I?”

“Who would I love as much as you?” Hyunmin asked.

“Do you really mean it?”

Hyunmin shoved Haknyeon’s shoulder again and they managed eye contact this time.

“Oh, Joo Haknyeon, why aren’t you blinking?” Hyunmin asked. He wasn’t prepared for this and he had never been very good at staring contests before, no matter how much he wanted to keep staring unblinkingly at someone as beautiful as Haknyeon. Haknyeon smiled a bit wider at this and didn’t say a word until he blinked first - he definitely blinked first and Hyunmin only knew this because he did not allow himself to blink until after Haknyeon had lost.

“I win,” Haknyeon said with a small cheer.

“That’s not true at all.”

“Yes it is! I won! I saw you blink just now!”

“I did blink,” Hyunmin agreed, “Only I did it after you. You lost. I am the winner.”

Haknyeon pouted. He took a breath and closed his eyes. With closed eyes he recited, “Byun Hyunmin, your skin isn’t horrible. You are good at waking up early. You make sure you floss well every day. You are moderately skilled at Taekwondo.”

“What are you doing?” Hyunmin asked. Haknyeon continued as though undisturbed.

“Your eyebags aren’t huge today. Your fingernails are cut very neatly.”

Hyunmin slapped his hand over Haknyeon’s mouth and it did the job of shutting him up. But Hyunmin still felt too hot from hearing the stupid things from the prompt card he had written out when he first decided that Haknyeon was burdened by being unable to say anything that was actually nice. Haknyeon grinned from behind Hyunmin’s palms and then puckered his lips.

Hyunmin’s hand burnt from the kiss and he pulled his hands back to his chest gingerly.

“It was a draw,” Hyunmin decided. “We probably blinked at the exact same time.”

“Probably,” Haknyeon agreed. His smile slipped after a moment and he said, “You're not saying anything.”

Hyunmin frowned. “About what?”

“In the future,” Haknyeon said slowly, “Do you think there could be anyone else for you?”

“Never! Do you really doubt me?”

“I don't. I just want to hear you say it,” Haknyeon admitted quietly.

Hyunmin would happily oblige. He thought he said those sorts of things often enough but if Haknyeon needed to hear it more Hyunmin wouldn't refuse! “I love you, Haknyeon. I want to be with you forever and ever and I want to marry you and tell everyone in the world that I get to love you the most.”

Hyunmin was pretty and pink and Hyunmin was sure he feel even more in love in that moment. He reached out and took Haknyeon's hands and pressed a kiss to the palms. He hoped it burned so that they matched.

“And it doesn't matter that we haven't even been together for a year yet? You still think that you only want to be with me?”

“There is nothing I am more certain of than wanting to only be with you,” Hyunmin said. It was truer than he would have liked because he couldn't guarantee a place at university, or that he wouldn't get injured and be unable to compete, or that he wouldn't win the lottery and suddenly become a millionaire. There wasn't much that Hyunmin could be so confident about, but he loved Haknyeon and other stuff was less important anyway.

Hyunmin remembered the thoughts he had earlier about their future and he added, “Besides, a lot can happen in nine months.”

Haknyeon scoffed and he swayed their hands together merrily. “You're so silly, Hyunmin. But I do want to talk about something similar.”

Hyunmin had only been joking and he hadn't thought it to be truly possible so he hazarded, “You want to talk about babies?”

Haknyeon shook his head and dropped Hyunmin’s hands quickly. It wasn't necessary - or Hyunmin didn't think so. He had never heard of anyone getting pregnant just by holding hands but all sorts of magical things were possible where Haknyeon was involved. He even helped Hyunmin ace a test once! They sort of cheated, but it still counted! - and Hyunmin pretended that he wasn't offended about Haknyeon not wanting any more of his hand germs.

It was totally cool as he watched Haknyeon get up and search through the chest of drawers that Hyunmin definitely had not rifled through. Hyunmin had been curious about what was in the drawers, if there was anything remaining of Haknyeon's presence at all in the room, but he had been good and refrained from looking up until now. He was glad he had because if Haknyeon was accusing Hyunmin of ruining a surprise before, the surprise would have been obliterated if Hyunmin had given in to his curiosity.

Haknyeon tried to be covert about it (as covert as he could be considering he had made a show of searching) as he returned to sit in front of Hyunmin, but Hyunmin had already seen. There was a box. There was a small velvet box in Haknyeon's hands and there were only so many things that would fit into a box so small.

“Haknyeon?” Hyunmin asked. Boxes that small didn't usually accompany not wanting someone's hand germs.

“I have something to talk to you about,” Haknyeon said slowly.

“Is it good? Do you want to talk to me about something good?” Hyunmin asked as he eyed the box.

Haknyeon bit his lip. “I want you to think it is good. I don’t want to scare you off or anything.”

“Why would I be scared?” Hyunmin asked. There was no way he was misreading the situation. There was only one thing that he could think of which might scare somebody off (even if they claimed to love greatly and dearly and eternally).

There was only one reason why Hyunmin might have been scared and Hyunmin was absolutely not scared. He was the opposite of scared and he couldn’t think of a single thing that would make him happier than this - to know that Haknyeon was asking _this_ of him!

“I really don’t mean to pressure you or anything,” Haknyeon said - unnecessarily! He could just get to the point and put Hyunmin out of this abject misery where existed an alternate possibility of Haknyeon talking himself out of asking at all - and he hesitantly unfurled his hands to reveal the box properly.

“Oh my god. Open the box.”

“What?” Haknyeon asked, his expression was getting desperate for some odd reason. Hyunmin was the one who felt desperate.

“Open the box, Haknyeon, I need to see. It's a ring, right?”

Haknyeon was looking increasingly put out and Hyunmin had no idea why. He didn't say anything and simply frowned as he steadied his fingers to prise open the box. Inside the box, nestled snugly in the navy satin were two silver bands. Inside the box there were two rings, not one - so it was twice as amazing as Hyunmin had first thought!

“They're beautiful, Haknyeon!” Truthfully Hyunmin didn't have a clue about what constituted a beautiful ring, but Haknyeon was beautiful and he was holding them so it equated to the same thing.

“They're only cheap,” Haknyeon said quickly. “I spoke to my mum about how much you mean to me and she said she was happy that I feel this way about you. I wanted some advice and she told me to go for it so I started to save up. They aren't very good ones now but maybe in future I can get us some better couple rings.”

“These are perfect!” Hyunmin said. He plucked both rings out of the box and jammed one onto Haknyeon’s ring finger before doing the same to himself. The fit was a bit too snug but Hyunmin wasn’t going to lose a finger because of it (but even if he did he wouldn’t care because he would much rather lose a finger than Haknyeon who was sweet and wonderful and _loved Hyunmin_ ).

Haknyeon was quiet and he wriggled his fingers experimentally before he settled on a smile. “Do you really like them? I already started saving up for some better ones.”

“They could be imaginary and I would still love them,” Hyunmin pointed out. Haknyeon still looked uncertain but Hyunmin wouldn’t hear another negative word! “Haknyeon, I have never been happier to receive something in my whole life! I’m never ever going to take this off, Haknyeon!”

“Me too. I won’t take mine off either,” Haknyeon said with a small smile. He curled his fingers around Hyunmin’s and already Hyunmin loved how new this felt. Just two thin bands of silver, already half-warmed by the heat of their hands, made holding hands with Haknyeon even more cool and fun than it already was.

And it hadn’t even been that long since Hyunmin had taken notice of the fact that one of the boys in his class was kind of cute and it was fun to see him butter up the teachers with his charms. Hyunmin had suspected from then that his fondness for his classmate would only grow and he was satisfied with the way things currently were. The feelings he had now were solidly defined and there was nothing that would have made them crumble.

Being in love and being loved were things that Hyunmin would treasure each and every day. He knew that he was lucky even if he sometimes felt shy of his good fortune. Haknyeon closed the gap for him, just a gentle press of lips and Hyunmin was melting once more.

When Haknyeon pulled back he was smiling so prettily and Hyunmin couldn’t think of an image that he wanted to keep in his mind more preciously.

“One day I am going to marry you, Hyunmin,” Haknyeon said. “I am going to marry you and you are going to have to teach my little sister how to do flips every day.”

“She is probably really smart like you. I can just teach her once and when we get married she can take care of being cool while I take care of you.”

Hyunmin was tired but it was better to get difficult things out of the way so that he could concentrate on being the best boyfriend that he could be. He stood up, resigned to the fact that Haknyeon’s sister wouldn’t let him leave the island without proving that he was as cool as the claims said. Before they left the bedroom, Haknyeon tugged Hyunmin’s sleeve to stop him and hooked their fingers together.

“I am going to look after you too, Hyunmin,” Haknyeon said. “I’m going to become really cool and work really hard so that I can look after you forever and ever.”

And Hyunmin liked the sound of that.


End file.
